We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Hepatoprotective Effect of Propagermanium on Corynebacterium parvum and Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Liver Injury in Mice.
- Authors
Yokochi; Ishiwata; Hashimoto; Ninomiya; Suzuki
- Abstract
Propagermanium is an organic germanium compound with immunopotentiating activity. We examined the hepatoprotective effect of propagermanium and its mechanism in an experimental animal model of acute liver injury induced with Corynebacterium parvum (C. parvum) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection. Oral pretreatment with propagermanium decreased alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity in a dose-dependent manner. Significant attenuation of ALT and AST activity was obtained at a dose of 3 mg/kg. Administration of propagermanium also inhibited the infiltration of mononuclear cells into the liver of mice induced by C. parvum/LPS. Immunohistochemical examination revealed infiltration of the liver by CD4-, CD8-, CD11b- and Gr-1-positive cells. Propagermanium prevented CD4- and CD11b-positive cells from infiltrating the liver. In this animal model, blood cytokine levels increased rapidly after LPS injection, causing severe hepatitis. Notably, tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) are important mediators of the progress of liver injury. We demonstrated that propagermanium reduced IFN-γ production by 53% at a dose of 3 mg/kg and also significantly inhibited the production of interleukin-12 (IL-12). These results indicate that propagermanium inhibits cell infiltration in the liver and cytokine production, and improves massive liver injury in C. parvum/LPS mice.
- Subjects
GERMANIUM; CUTIBACTERIUM acnes; AMINOTRANSFERASES; CYTOKINES; PHYSIOLOGY; THERAPEUTICS
- Publication
Scandinavian Journal of Immunology, 1998, Vol 48, Issue 2
- ISSN
0300-9475
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1046/j.1365-3083.1998.00356.x